To Screen or Not To Screen

Is That Even Up For Debate?

It comes at no surprise that everyone’s talking about how everyone else is addicted to their screens (smart phones, laptops, televisions, etc.). So what’s the big deal? Is the smartphone age affecting our brains the same way illegal drugs do? What about getting drunk - do we really feel like we NEED to check our cell phone every five minutes?

It’s cool to interact with our friends all day everyday, but what are we missing out on?

Apparently there is a new term known as phubbing or “partner phone snubbing”, which defined is when “people use or are distracted by their cellphones while in the company of their relationship partners.” The linked study and a few others from Medical News Today also claim that too much smart phone time causes depression, is addictive, and can cause high levels of anxiety.

The Real World

I promise this is not an edgy blog to talk about how I wish the world was the way it used to be. I love technology. I love my computers and I love my iPhone. But seriously we gotta put them down more often.

If you plan to hang out with a friend at a certain time, and you do, yet you still flip out your cell phone and text mid-conversation, what the hell is wrong with you? You have a real friend in front of you.

So, sure some of those are my own biased pet-peeves. However, some of them are things that other people will notice you doing and will feel less cared for. Especially if you planned on hanging out, please put down the phone.

Nothing is [probably] as important as you think, when it comes to our phones. Because realistically there was a time where we didn’t have them, and everything was okay. So put it down.

An article that quickly adds to my thoughts on this, that also quotes some studies can be found here.

More than just the relationship aspect, this study aimed to “investigate daytime screen use and use of electronic devices before bedtime in relation to sleep”. The study found “a negative relation between use of technology and sleep”, basically the more screen time you have may cause a drastic drop in quality of sleep, and the actual amount of sleep you get.

We must put the phone down! Close the lid of your laptop! This will positively affect your mental state, help you sleep better, increase the quality of your relationships, and more!